Winter Safety for your Home

22 Feb
2010

Filed Under Homeowners · Tagged: safety, snow, winter · Print This Article

We’ve had no shortage of snow this month, and it’s never too late to review winter safety. It’s important to be prepared for this or the next (or the next…) episode of winter weather.

Keep an eye on the amount of snow collected on your roof, especially if it’s old snow. Ten to twelve inches of fresh snow is only equal to about one inch of water, but 3-5 inches of packed snow is the same. The Institute for Home Building and Safety says no need to worry about anything under 4 feet of fresh snow, but more than 2 feet of old/packed snow could be be dangerous. Most likely your home is not experiencing this, but you will want to keep an eye on carports, sheds, or other structures that might be under a lot of weight.
To keep your walkways and stairs at their safest, keep snow cleared continually. Once it packs and freezes it will not only be more difficult to remove later, but more dangerous. You can usually brush fresh snow off with a broom, or shovel it quickly a couple times during the snow to keep it from packing. You can also use salt on concrete steps and walkways. (Some surfaces don’t like salt, so be careful if you have softer stone or wood.) You can even use table salt in a pinch if you don’t have rock salt (or if the store was out of stock.)
When you are outdoors clearing your walks and driveway, wear appropriate footwear, a warm coat and make sure your head and hands are covered. Mittens are best, as your fingers stay warmer when they’re touching. It’s a good idea to stretch first so you don’t injure yourself while working, and don’t stay out too long without a break.
If you have a lot of snow build up around windows, it’s best to clear it off to prevent leaks and damage. Unblock drains around the home, and make sure gutters are clear and stable.
Once inside, keep snowy shoes by the door to avoid bringing lots of snow and salt into the house. Salt can damage your flooring. Knock them clean before entering the house, too.
If at all possible, pets must be kept indoors, at least in a garage or basement if they can’t be in the home. The temps and snow can be deadly. When letting your dog in from outside or after coming home for a walk, clean his paws throughly. Snow can get trapped between the pads and not only end up all over your house, but cause pain and discomfort. It’s very important to wipe salt from their feet after being outside for a walk. Road salt can contain chemicals that can hurt their skin or make them sick if ingested from licking a paw.
Remember to use your head when using extra heating equipment in the house. Never leave space heaters unattended, and make sure they’re working properly. Never bring a generator into your house. And never use your stove, oven, or — for heaven’s sake, a grill — to heat the inside of your home. This will unleash dangerous carbon monoxide and potentially cause a fire. And use common sense fireplace safety.
Know where all your flashlights/candles, etc. are located in the event of a power outage. Check early to make sure batteries are fresh. And it’s best to always keep an appropriate amount of necessities on hand in the winter, so you won’t have to be one of those people running to the store at the last minute to buy the last package of toilet paper in the event of extreme weather. (Same goes with batteries, rock salt, canned items, etc.)

More info:

Ohio.gov Winter Safety

Shoveling tips

Outdoor Safety

Red Cross Winter Tips